"Such sentiments do violence, not only to our understanding of the providence of God, but to our understanding of the whole character of God. Christianity is not a religion of dualism by which God and Satan are equal and opposite opposing forces destined to fight an eternal struggle that must result in a tie. God is sovereign over His entire creation, including the subordinate domain of Satan. God is Lord of death as well as life. He rules over pain and disease as sovereignly as He rules over prosperity.

If God had nothing to do with sickness or death, Christians, of all people, would be the most to be pitied. It would mean living in a universe ruled by chaos where our Father's hand was tied by fate and bound by the fickleness of chance. His arm would not be mighty to save; it would be impotent. But, the preachers to the contrary, God has everything to do with sickness and death. God majors in suffering. The way of redemption is the Via Dolorosa, the road to the cross. Our Lord was Himself a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. No, God is not removed from or aloof from human suffering; it is contained within the scope of His providence."

So, where do you fall on this? What's your response to the italicized quotes above? To Sproul's responsive argument?

2 Comments:

I definitely believe in the absolute sovereignty of God. If He is sovereign, then all that exists is 'allowed' to exist by Him. I think suffering and trials serve a purpose in our lives if we use them to draw ourselves closer to the Lord. Steel is tempered by fire. The clay is hardened in the kiln. I have had people say to me words like those in italics at the top of your post. I believe praying to God IS rebuking Satan. I believe that praying to God pleases God and IS exercising our faith ...that He took our sins on Himself when He was sacrificed on the cross and that we are redeemed by His blood. I know Satan is real and I think nothing pleases Satan more than pulling our focus off of the Lord and onto him (satan). So I think it is a stronger statement of rebuke toward Satan if we address ourselves to GOD in prayer when we are in turmoil. But that's just my opinion.

Precisely, look at Job, God ALLOWED Satan to make him suffer with such a disease, to strip him of everything...does the Bible say and Satan went off without God's intervention or permission? no, God allowed this to happen